Technical Specifications for the manufacture of:
Fortified Refined Cottonseed Oil
-COTTONSEED OIL-
Specification reference: Cottonseed Oil
Version: 2.0
Date of issue: 20th May 2011
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Product type
This specification applies to Cottonseed Oil derived from the seeds of the cotton plant
(Gossypium hirsutum and Gossypium herbaceum). Cottonseed Oil distributed by WFP is fortified
with vitamin A and vitamin D in proportions described in product specifications.
1.2 Standards and recommendations
Cottonseed Oil shall be manufactured in accordance with: “Recommended International
Code of Practice: General Principles of Food Hygiene”, CAC/RCP 1-1969 Rev 3 1997
Amended (1999) including Annex “Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
System and Guidelines for its application”.
2. RAW MATERIALS
2.1 Cottonseed
The cottonseed utilized for oil production shall have good quality.
2.2 Vitamins
Fortified vitamins (vitamin A and D) shall conform to Codex Standard CAC/GL 09-1987-
General principles for the addition of essential nutrients to foods.
Vitamin premix should be purchased from a WFP approved suppliers: BASF (Stern Vitamin),
DSM, Fortitech, Nicholas Piramal, Hexagon Nutrition or their authorized dealers and GAIN
premix facility. Addresses of premix suppliers are on http://foodquality.wfp.org
Vitamin premix must be stored in a dry, cool and clean place where the temperature is a
maximum of 25oC.
3. PROCESSING
Fortified Cottonseed Oil production must respect the national and international code practice
for processing of this commodity.
For compliance with Codex standards, the processor must be able to demonstrate by principle
and practice the adoption, implementation and recording of:
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Good Manufacturing Practice
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point program
In this context an appointed WFP Inspector / Quality Surveyor is entitled to visit the factory
without prior notice during any period when WFP product is being manufactured to check
that the GMP and HACCP systems are in place. The Inspector / Quality Surveyor may
request to see:
Records (i.e. names of people in charge of the process and quality control, temperatures
of the process, mixing times / quantity, cleaning schedules, etc).
Procedures (e.g. cleaning, personnel hygiene, HACCP, sampling and analysis).
Instructions (e.g. process instructions, cleaning instructions).
The quality manual for the process or factory.
The producer must be registered under national food law as a processor of foods for human
consumption. In addition, the producer must have a legal authorization to produce this
commodity in the country where the factory is located.
4. PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
4.1. Main requirements
Specification Recommended value
Organoleptic Neutral/bland taste; absence of foreign odours and flavours
Moisture and volatile 0.2% maximum
matter
Insoluble impurities 0.05% maximum
Acid value 0.6 mg maximum of KOH/g oil
Color 5 Garner Color Scale
Soap content 0.005% maximum
Peroxide value 2 milliequivalents maximum of active oxygen per kg of oil
Melting point 10-16°C
Saponification value 189-198 mg KOH per g oil
Iodine value 100-123 g per 100g oil
Unsaponifiable matter 1.5% maximum
Refractive index (ND 1.458 – 1.466
400C)
Relative density 0.918-0.926
(200C/water at 200C)
Authorized additives
-Butylated hydroxyanisol - 175 mg/kg maximum
-Butylated Hydroxytoluene - 75 mg/kg maximum
Vitamin A 24000– 36000 UI per kg oil
Vitamin D 2400 – 3600 UI per kg oil
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4.2 Additional Requirements
Cottonseed Oil shall meet the following additional requirements:
Shelf life: it shall retain above qualities for at least one year from date of manufacture
when stored dry at ambient temperatures prevalent in the country of destination
Safety: it shall be free from objectionable matter; not contain any substances originating
from micro-organisms or any other poisonous or deleterious substances such as
anti-nutritional factors, heavy metals or pesticide residues, in amounts which may represent
a hazard to health.
o Heavy metals
Lead (Pb) Max 0.1 ppm
Arsenic (As) Max 0.1 ppm
Iron (Fe) Max 1.5 ppm
Cooper (Cu) Max 0.1 ppm
o Polycyclic Adromatic Hydrocarbures (PAH)
PAH heavy Max 5 ppb
PAH total Max 25 ppb
Benzo(a)pyrene Max 2 ppb
o Free from radioactivity
o Free from Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) (if required by the
contract).
5. PACKAGING
Cottonseed Oil can either be packaged into 3 to 5 liters jerry cans or bottles of 1 to 1.5 liters,
to constitute the primary packaging. The secondary packaging is cartons to facilitate
transportation and storage.
5.1 Primary packaging
Jerry cans
The plastic containers must be of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), with heat-sealed
membranes and screw-top lids. They shall be made by blow-molding and be seamless so that
they can not leak (except at the closure) unless ruptured. The containers must be suitable for
foodstuffs, have stoppers fitted with safety devices and must be hermetically sealed. The
containers shall have two flat walls, a built-in handle and a screw top.
Specifications:
- Material: HDPE
- Color: white/translucent
- Net weight per empty jerry can: 200 gm minimum for 5 liters jerry cans.
- Rated capacity: 3.0 or 5.0 liters
- Screw cap with inner plug
- Typical wall thickness: 1.0 mm (middle of side panels)
PET bottles
Bottles for Cottonseed Oil must be made of Polyethylene Terephtalate (PET). They shall be
hermetically closed thanks to a safety device. PET bottles shall be suitable for foodstuff,
clean and free from any abnormal odor.
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5.2 Carton
Bottles and jerry cans are disposed into cartons.
They should be new, strong cardboard cartons containing either 4 to 6 jerry cans of 3 to 5
liters or 12 to 15 bottles of 1 or 1.5 liters.
Cartons should be manufactured from well constructed single wall, luted paper, corrugated
board with a specific weight of approximately 750 grams per square meter. This specific
weight corresponds to a carton weight of approximately 560 grams for golding.
- Cartons should have burst strength (edge crush test) of approximately 44 pounds per
square inch or 3.2 kg/ cm2 or equivalent.
- Carton seams should be glued.
- Substance of cartons 275-120-275 (750 grams per m2).
Dunnage of strong sheets, plywood has to be placed inside each container at every three layer
of cartons to provide the required stacking strength.
6. MARKING
6.1 On jerry cans or bottles.
The following information should be available on bottles and cans
Name of the product:
Net content:
Name and address of the supplier (including country of origin).
Batch number (or SI).
Production date.
Additional marking as per contractual agreement.
6.2 On cartons
The following information should be available on each carton:
Name of the product:
Number of unit per carton
Name and address of the supplier (including country of origin).
Production date.
Additional marking as per contractual agreement.
7. STORING
Cottonseed Oil must be stored under dry, ventilated and hygienic conditions.
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8. ANALYTICAL REQUIREMENTS
Table 1: List of compulsory tests and reference methods
No Test Recommended value Reference method*
1 Organoleptic Neutral/bland taste; absence of
foreign odours and flavours
2 Moisture and volatile 0.2% maximum ISO 662:1998
matter AOCS Ca 2d-25
IUPAC 2.601
3 Insoluble impurities 0.05% maximum ISO 663:2007
AOCS Ca 3a-46
IUPAC 2.604
4 Acid value 0.6 mg maximum of KOH/g oil ISO 660:2009
AOCS Cd 3d-63
5 Color 5 Garner Color Scale ASTM D234
ISO 4630-1,2
6 Soap content 0.005% maximum AOCS Cc 15-60
BS 684 Section 2.5
7 Peroxide value 2 milliequivalents maximum ISO 3960:2007
of active oxygen per kg of BS 684-2.14:2001
oil AOCS Cd 8-53
AOAC 965.33
IUPAC 2.501
8 Melting point 10-16°C AOAC 920.156
ISO 6321:2002
9 Saponification value 189-198 mg KOH per g oil ISO 3657:2002
AOCS Cd 3-25
10 Iodine value 100-123 g per 100g oil ISO 3961:2009
AOAC 993.20
IUPAC 2.205
11 Unsaponifiable matter 1.5% maximum ISO 18609:2000
ISO 3596:2000
AOCS Ca 6a – 40
IUPAC 2.401
12 Refractive index (ND 1.458 – 1.466 ISO 6320:2000
400C) AOCS Cc 7-25
AOAC 921.08,
IUPAC 2.102
13 Relative density 0.918-0.926 AOCS 10c-95
(200C/water at 200C) IUPAC 2.101
14 Vitamin A 24000– 36000 UI per kg oil
15 Vitamin D 2400 – 3600 UI per kg oil
* or equivalent
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